Notes

Can be traded for experience points with Lucius. For each Midnight Shard, you can gain experience; L being the character's level. Players above level 200 will receive the same amount of experience as a level 200. A character can trade up to 40 shards for experience per year. However, an arbitrary amount of shards can be traded for gold.

Note that the formula is not (for N shards). If you level up by using one shard, you will not gain 300 more experience per shard for the next level. Thus, it is slightly better to trade them incrementally, than all at once. Check the table for better results.

History

2009

Previously, the shards gave experience and was also lootable from monsters on the good side of the Temple of Light if the event ends in success. The adjustment came as a result of the raising of the shards' rarity.

2011

During 2011, some players could trade up to 80 shards. Players who had not talked to Lucius yet after the November 12 patch could have their shard trade count reset after their next conversation with Lucius. For example, if one took 80 shards with them to Lucius, asked to trade all for experience, 40 would be traded; ending the conversation with 'bye' and repeating the process with the 40 remaining shards would allow the final 40 to be traded for experience. This was not a bug - it is the compensation for a bug in which some players could not trade 40 shards.